TRAMWAY MATTERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 49, 26 August 1904, Page 4

TRAMWAY MATTERS.

SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS. A large number of questions in regard to the electric tramways were asked at. the- meeting of tho City Council last evening, but only some of them were an* swered. Councillor Wiltshire asked that tho trams should be sent away from the ter» minus near the wharf at regular intervals. On two days this week one car left ati , three minutes to 12 o'clock, and it waa nine or ten minutes before another one left. Councillor Barber related a similar experience with cars running at or about 1 p.m. Councillor Barber wanted to know whether it was not possible to run tho tramu on Sunday mornings. Tho cars might stop during church hours. Sunday morning cars were run in -other cities, and why not in Wellington also? In reply to Councillor M'Laren, thfl Mayor said that there were 32 cars nj use. There was some undergear for cam in Wellington, and enquiries were being made as to whether boxes for tho same could be mado here. Councillor Luke asked whether the old card system could not be applied to tho electric- teams. The present arrange inent meant that the Council was losing a of fares. The Mayor explained thn* tho question of making some alteration in the present syistcm »vas being considered. Councillor Barber asked whether theproceeds of the sale of tho tram horseu (about £2500) could not be expended ia extending the lino from John-street to Adelaide-road. Tho Mayor replied that a legal question had to be dealt with b»« tons he could reply to Oouueillor Ba*> ber. Councillor M'Laren asked whether tha Mayor would present a balance-sheet in connection with the old horse'traction ser- ' vice, showing vow the profits liad been disposed of. Regarding the delay in opening the Oriental Bay section, Councillor Barbel' moved that a committee bo appointed to enquire why the section is not opened for traffic. The Electrical Engineer reported, that the overhead work was not yot finished, and they were still waiting on tlm Telegraph, Department and the Electrical Syndicate. The wash-out at the far end of the section would also mean delay, but the construction of a concrete wall was proceeding as fast as possible. Councillor Barber said the contractors had finished the section on the 26th May, and . here was tae 25th of August, and the over- ■ head work not yet finished. If the sam* rate of progress was made on Lainbtonquay, the line there would not be in go- • ing order for at least twelve months. Tha ■ Mayor said no waa informed by the Engineer that the Government was doing . its best in lifting its wires with the staff at its disposal. Tho work on the hightensipn wires could only be entrusted to expert men. Councillor Barber contended that men ought to be brought from other parts of the colony to push the work along. The Mayor said that Councillor" Bnrber must not assume that the officero of the Council were doing absolutely nothing towards trying to push along tb* opening of the various sections completed. Everything waa being done as expeditiously as poissiDie, under the circumstancea. The motion was lost on the voices. The end of the horse tramcar and 'buu has come in Wellington. The Council decided last night to dispose of the whola of the old horse trams, 'buses, and paraphernalia, together with the remaining horses. The 'bus service now running! is to bo stopped after to-morrow, witS the exception of a single 'bus whioh will sun between the General Post Office and the Manawatu Railway Station to con> nect with the train service.